Yes, it was like that when I got it, but I didn't have any reason to notice it under the floor panel. I pulled it about 5 or 6 years ago to try to stop the losing prime. Ordered all new parts and they matched what came off. Ran it for a couple more years and parked it. Last year, I started it up again and worked it for a month, then pushed it really hard one day. Started being hard to get it primed anytime it shut off. Putting it back together this week is when I noticed the gap.
The gasket in new hollands diagram (#17) does not match what everyone sells for the part#L33539. That gasket looks like the valve body to converter housing diagram..That would make the gap even bigger, and it won't fit. It may be that whoever worked on it before, got a pump or regulator valve and got the wrong one. I am presently making new gaskets to fit. When the new seal gets here, I'll put it together.